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The two ships of the Centaur class were the first British light cruisers to be entirely armed with 6in guns. The side mounted 4in guns of the previous classes were replaced with two 6in guns, mounted on the centreline before and after the funnels. To make best use of the 6in guns, they were given a larger tripod mast which carried a two storey control top for the director fire equipment.
They were otherwise very similar to the previous Calliope and Cambrian classes. They were powered with engines originally built for two Turkish cruisers. These were Parsons geared turbines combined with Yarrow boilers, and were essentially the same engines being used on their British contemporaries.
HMS Centaur and HMS Concord served with the 5th Light Cruiser Squadron of the Harwich Force from 1916 until 1919, where they were known as “Tyrwhitt’s dreadnoughts”. After the First World War they served together in the Mediterranean until 1923. HMS Centaur spent the rest of her career with the Atlantic Fleet, while the Concord served on the Australia and China stations. They were sold off in 1934-35.
Displacement (loaded) |
4,870t |
Top Speed |
29kts |
Range |
|
Armour – deck |
1in |
- belt |
3in-1.25in |
- conning tower |
1in |
Length |
446ft |
Armaments |
Five 6in Mk XII guns |
Crew complement |
437 |
Launched |
1916 |
Completed |
1916 |
Ships in class |
HMS Centaur |